Between Us Girls

4 Steps to Finding and Following Your Passion

There is so much talk about discovering your passion, following your bliss and living a life that you love. Hearing messages like these over and over, we can't help but to take a look at our own lives and to perhaps find them lacking. We wonder how we can live a life of purpose and meaning, how we can follow our bliss. Then we begin to wonder. What is my bliss? Do I have a passion? Did I ever?

How to Find Happiness the Easy Way

Finding happiness is all the rage these days, but why does it have to be so darn difficult?  Are we that out of touch with what makes us happy or have our expectations just become too high?

Those of you who have ready my prior post on the Power of Positive Emotions know that experiencing positive emotions can undo a lot of the damage caused by negative emotions.  Common sense tells you that the more often we experience these positive emotions the happier we will be.  Considering this, I've decided that happiness doesn't have to be so difficult.  I've proposed a simpler way to conceive of happiness and some easy steps that we can take in our pursuit of it.

Check out my guest post "How to Find Happiness the Easy Way" over at the Positivity Blog and let me know what you think. Your comments, anecdotes and suggestions are always welcome!

How to Stop Procrastinating and Start Doing

Why put off until tomorrow what you can do today? Well, because it's easier, you have more interesting things to do and, perhaps, you never really wanted to do those things in the first place.

Procrastinating isn't just about waiting until the last minute to get something done. It can also show up as the tendency to avoid confrontation, a reluctance to take risks or try new things, the ability to make big plans but to never follow through, the tendency to get sick or tired when faced with unpleasant tasks or the choice to blame others for your unhappiness instead of taking action.

Some of us have a bigger problem with procrastination than others, but we are all guilty of it now and again. What about you? Have you ever waited until the eleventh hour to pull together a term paper or a report for the boss? Can you always find a reason why that talk about boundary issues with your mother-in-law can wait? Do you spend hours or months researching the best brand of toothpaste or minivan? Do you keep talking about that new business you're going to start or that book you're going to write...someday? Whoops, that

How to Keep Your Cool When the Heat is On

Whether you're a chronic worrier or steady as a rock, chances are that you have experienced anxiety at one time or another. I'm not talking about panic attacks or anxiety disorders, just the run-of-the-mill anxiety we experience when we are about to face someone or something that sets those butterflies a-fluttering.

Think blind date, job interview, marriage proposal, confronting your nosy neighbor...any situation that might make you tense and fearful. You're worried about the impression you'll make, you fear you might embarrass yourself, you're afraid that you'll come across as unprepared or that you will get a negative reaction.

The anticipation of potentially stressful events can be worse than the event itself. So when the heat is on, how do you keep your cool? Next time you are worried about an upcoming event, try some of these ideas and see how they work:

Do Your Homework

Preparation is key. If you are worried that things will go wrong or that you won't be ready for whatever is thrown at you, take a hint from the scouts and be prepared. Gather whatever information or tools that you think you might need and have them at the ready.

7 Tips for Keeping Things in Perspective

We are all too familiar with stress and what it can do to our health and well-being. Each and every day new problems crop up that create the opportunity for worry and anxiety to stop us in our tracks. But every problem that we encounter doesn't carry the same weight. Difficulties, like people, come in all shapes and sizes and keeping our perspective is important if we want to avoid being sent into a tail-spin numerous times a day.

So how do we do this? How do we keep things in perspective so that we aren't overcome with anxiety every time an obstacle shows up in our lives.

There are many ways to maintain perspective – to see our problems for what they really are and to not let them balloon to larger-than-life proportions. It all comes down to stopping, breathing, and taking the time to ask ourselves some important questions:

Therapy, Therapists and Techniques: How to Find What Works for You

The world of psychotherapy is a very broad and varied one. There is a dizzying array of theories, techniques and approaches to therapy from which to choose and weeding through them to find the therapy style that is right for you can be almost as stressful as the problem that drove you to therapy in the first place!

From psychoanalytic theory to cognitive-behavioral theory, from “Gestalt Therapy” to “Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy,” from relaxation techniques to role playing exercises, the options are endless. So where do you start? Is there some easy answer...some secret formula?

Of course not. I wish I could give you a simple formula...some easy mathematical equation that would lead you to “the answer” but I can't. Finding what works for you is simply, or not so simply, a process of trial and error.

But let me tell you something that might help. Before I decided to stay home with children (and climb the walls on a daily basis), I did a little bit of counseling myself. What I mean to say is I counseled other people...but then again, I have counseled myself quite a bit as well. Never mind...the point is I have some training and experience in this area and I'm going to let you in on a secret. Counselors and therapists can sometimes have a hard time sorting through the piles of psychotherapeutic techniques as well.

Finding the Meaning of Life

We all have our moments...times when we just don't like the way life is going, when we feel that nothing is working, when everything seems so overwhelming. We feel like we're swimming upstream and we wonder why we are even bothering. What's the use? Why does life have to be so hard?

Sometimes life is hard. But it's also true that no matter how difficult it gets, there is always a way to go on. Always. No matter what. Whatever your circumstances, you can find something to live for. But when we are in the midst of a bad time, we can easily lose sight of that fact, can't we? Times like these call for drastic measures. Times like these call for a story. Let me tell you one

How You Can Fight Materialism and Win

This post is the third in a series on the dangers of materialism.

An unchecked focus on materialistic values can cause so much harm to us personally, to our relationships with others and to the ecosphere as a whole. In“The Scourge of Materialism” we learned that materialistic people are generally less happy and more likely to act in socially and environmentally damaging ways. In “The Costs of Materialism” we took a more in-depth look at the personal, social and ecological costs of materialism.

The result? We know that materialistic values are not congruent with a psychologically, socially and ecologically healthy way of life. But what, if anything, can we do about it? Living in a society that is built on the drive toward material gain, how can we manage to live a life based on more pro-social values? Is it even possible? 

The Cost of Materialism

This is the second post in a three part series on the dangers of materialism. For an introduction to the subject, please read “The Scourge of Materialism.”

Our society has centered itself around materialistic pursuits. We place a high value on financial success, social status and the many symbols that represent both. Quite often, we push the people and activities that we love onto the back burner as we pursue the better job, the bigger house, the shinier car.

But these symbols of success have a price and we're not just talking about money. The costs of materialism are far broader than that. Their impact extends well beyond our bank accounts to our personal

The Scourge of Materialism

It seems that there is a plague in our midst. It threatens to steal away our health, our happiness and perhaps our future. Celebrity carriers like Paris Hilton and Donald Trump may be it's poster-children but they have a lot of not-so-famous company. Look around...it's likely that many around you have already been infected. In fact, chances are good that it's gotten most of your loved ones and quite possibly.......you.

Materialism, consumerism, commercialism...call it what you will. It permeates our culture. Buying, spending, accumulating...these are the building blocks of our society. Our values reflect it and our government encourages it. Feeling good about ourselves comes not from what we do, but what we have. Social status is based on wealth and possessions. Legislation is designed, not to protect the common good but, to protect corporate profits and shareholder interests and to preserve the link between money and power.

Research (not to mention common logic) has demonstrated that the more people value materialistic goals, the less happy they are and the more likely they are to act in socially and ecologically damaging ways. It is becoming more and more clear that when we choose to define success in materialistic terms, we pay a very high price. Here in the United States, we are reaping what our capitalistic society has sown and most of us are disappointed with the harvest.

Huge fuel costs (despite record fuel industry

How Spirituality Can Help You Reach Your Goals

     Some of us are naturally spiritual people and some are not.  Some of us equate spirituality with religion and some do not.  Whether we attend church, chant and meditate, participate in drum circles or eschew all things spiritual or religious in nature, one thing that we do share is the tendency to build our lives around our goals.  We can also agree that achieving the goals we set for ourselves isn't always easy.

     I have written elsewhere about the importance of choosing our goals wisely.  Goals that are congruent with our values are much more meaningful and more likely to be attained.  But psychological research shows that having goals that are not just meaningful, but spiritually meaningful, boosts our power to achieve.

"Psychological studies have recently begun focusing on better defining and studying spirituality, as opposed to a cloudy mix of religion and spirituality, and the results are quite interesting. It turns out that a sense of spirituality can be good for you, especially when it comes to achieving your goals."

     Having spiritually meaningful goals doesn't mean that you need to become religious or set goals like "ending hunger" or "saving the whales."  But contemplating your place in the world and the meaning of your life may help guide you in determining the goals that are most meaningful to you.  To find out more, read my guest post "How Spirituality Can Help You Reach Your Goals" at www.effortlessabundance.com.

    

The Strength to be Yourself

     Once in a while I get in a funk...don't we all? I fall into the trap of comparing myself with others, regretting past mistakes, wishing I had done things differently or that I was more like someone else I imagine to be far better off. For a day or two, I can't seem to muster the energy to take all of my own advice on positive thinking, gratitude, living in the here and now, blah, blah, blah.

     Hey, I'm not perfect. I make mistakes. Yes, I know better and yet sometimes, even knowing better isn't enough to keep my spirits up when things aren't going my way. So, I allow myself a day or two of moping and then I get on with my life. I get back on the positive psychology wagon. I focus on the moment, try to meditate, exercise (of course), engage in activities that foster more positive emotions (like reading or walking outside or a little gardening) and the world seems bright once again.

     It's good that I go through this really. It keeps me humble and serves as a reminder that there is a lot of unhappiness in the world and that we are all susceptible. Experiencing it myself now and again helps me to be more compassionate towards others who are feeling low and maybe don't have the knowledge or the skills to pull themselves out of it like I do. I believe that we all need to do what we can in this crazy world to try to stay positive, to improve our lives and to be happy. I also believe that we owe it to our friends, our families and our neighbors to reach out and grab their hands and lift them up as well.

Mindfulness Meditation and Stress Reduction

 

     Stress is a given in our lives. Difficult people, time pressures, repetitive and routine tasks, financial concerns, and a lack of self-confidence are some of the most common stressors we face. But it is not the stressors themselves that cause the problem. It is the way we handle, or fail to handle them, that causes us grief.

     Meditation has long been known to assist people in dealing effectively with the stresses in their lives. It is a simple and proven method, yet few of us take advantage of it. Why? Perhaps because we see it as being much more difficult than it really is. We view it as something foreign, something that is one small part of a very complex religious or philosophical system that we may have no interest in or little time to pursue. Or, we just think it is too hard.

The Power of Positive Emotions

     We all know that positive emotions are desirable.  Who wouldn't rather feel loving than hateful, joyful than fearful, or happy than disappointed?  It doesn't take a brain surgeon to tell you that positive emotions make each moment that we are experiencing them a pleasure.  But the truth is that positive emotions are far more powerful than that.  Thanks to the work of Barbara L. Fredrickson, we now know that positive emotions can bring, not just momentary pleasure, but long-lasting benefits as well.

    Fredrickson's Broaden and Build Theory of positive emotions shows that positive emotions produce optimal functioning, not just in the present moment, but over the long-term.  Her contribution to the field of Positive Psychology has been significant, but her work can benefit each of us individually as well. 

Doing Less and Getting More Done - Taoist Secrets

     Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while know that I like to read and that my reading tends to lean toward the psychological, ecological and the spiritual.  When I find reading materials that address all three, I'm truly happy.

     For those of you who share my interests, you might want to check out my latest read "Ecotherapy" by Howard Clinebell.  It's an interesting book on the theory of ecopsychology and suggestions for the practical application of that theory in the therapeutic or educational setting.  You can find a link to that book and many others in the same vein in my Amazon Bookstore.

     Now getting back to the topic at-hand, like so many people these days, I struggle to stay calm, focus on the positive and find (and maintain) some sense of happiness and contentment.  In our stress-filled world, this is no easy feat but find that reading and thinking about things like ecopsychology and various forms of spirituality helps to sustain me and keep me on track.  As much as my approach to spirituality may be non-theistic and non-traditional, it is perhaps a more important part of my life than I sometimes realize and I believe this is true for most of us.

     Whether or not we consider ourselves religious or non-religious, I think that we are all in some respects spiritual.  As I discussed in a prior post, The Meaning of Spirituality, spirituality is about feeling that we are each one part of a larger whole.  The whole may be defined differently for each of us - Christianity, Islam, the human race, all living things, the universe etc.  Or, for many of us, the whole may be indefinable.  As human beings, it seems to be in our nature to wonder about our place in the universe and our role or purpose.  We need to have meaning in our lives and this is what I am talking about when I talk about spirituality.

     As I read, I seem to find that Eastern Philosophies have the most to offer when it comes to practical spitituality.  In Taoism in particular, I have found a great deal of practical wisdom, some of which I have already shared with you in my post  Come On Get Happy.

     I've also written a guest post for the PositivityBlog about Taoist Secrets to Doing Less and Getting More Done.  Those of you who like my prior post on Taoism or who simply like practical spirituality might find my guest post helpful as well.  Check it out and let me know what you think.  And, if you have any spiritual reading suggestions, please share them.

    

Focus and Life Goals

      Like my middle-aged vision, I find that my life lacks focus.  It's nothing new.  I've been this way my whole life.  I flit from idea to idea, from project to project, from career to career in much the same way I once went from boyfriend to boyfriend.  It's the way I operate.

     The only problem with this approach to life is that it's hard to get anywhere in life.  Great achievements are not made by people who are jacks-of-all-trades and masters-of-none.  We may be interesting people with colorful backgrounds, but we

Death and Ritual

     I  have never liked the rituals that accompany death...the "viewings" especially.  They always struck me as creepy and morbid.  The deceased never looked quite like themselves and I couldn't imagine why people would want to remember their loved ones that way.  Even worse, there are those (including my own mother)who want photos of the person in the coffin.  Yikes!

     Growing up in a family that doesn't exactly have a reputation for longevity, I attended many funerals as a child.  And to this day, as much as I love flowers, walking into a flower shop gives me goosebumps.  To me, the smell of a generic mix of flowers is the smell of a funeral home.  While I'm not happy with this long-term effect of my childhood funeral experiences, I am glad in an overall sense that I was allowed to attend those funerals as a child.  I've met many people who never attended a funeral until adulthood and it was usually the funeral of someone very important in their lives - a parent or a sibling.  That's not the time you want to feel unprepared and creeped out.

     While I had the benefit(?) of early exposure that helped me to know what to expect and become somewhat immune to the creepiness factor, I still don't care for the funeral process.  Bu now, as a more experienced adult, I am able to better understand the need for these rituals that we put ourselves through.  In fact today, I was reminded of my early experiences with death and of the need we have for these parting rituals. Today I was reminded that no matter how much we try to protect our children, we simply can't

Lowered Expectations - The Key to Happiness?

    I admit it...I'm a naturally pessimistic person.  I work hard every day trying to develop and maintain a more optimistic outlook and to focus on what is right and good with my life instead of what's wrong with it, but, truth be told, my natural inclination is to hold a slightly negative view.  Oh I've had some success in these efforts...I'm a bit more content overall and I can go for hours or sometimes days without falling into  my old crotchety ways, but it is an effort.  Happiness can be elusive for those of us who were born to whine.  (If this sounds like you, read my prior post "The Pursuit of Happiness" for some suggestions)

    When people point out my tendency toward the glass-half-empty perspective, as people seem compelled to do, I counter that I'm not being negative, I'm being "realistic."  That's what my Dad always said when I was criticizing his tendency toward pessimism.  What can I say...I am my father's daughter and, honestly, I think that response has some merit.  Pessimists are known to be more realistic, albeit less happy, people.  I've also been known to say "Hey, if I expect that everything will go perfectly, I'm likely to be disappointed whereas, if I expect everything to go wrong, and then it doesn't, I'll be pleasantly surprised!"  Makes total (Read more...)

Softball Lessons

     My daughter started softball this spring.  She's seven, totally inexperienced and very excited.  I'm hoping that she'll learn all of the important stuff that she needs to become a good ball player, but I'm hoping she'll learn some important life lessons as well.  A very inspiring story from the news this week makes me believe that my hopes may be justified.

     Maybe some of you already heard this story, but it is well-worth repeating.  This past week, the women's softball teams from Central Washington University and Western Oregon University were competing in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.  Sara Tucholsky, a senior player with the Western Oregon team came up to bat.  With two runners on base and a strike to her credit, she did something she had never done before; she hit a home run!  The crowd cheered as Sara began running the bases but, in her excitement, she failed to actually touch first base.  She turned to step back and tag it and, suddenly, collapsed.  Sara's quick turn had torn a knee ligament.

                                                                    Unable to get up, Sara looked to the first base coach who told her that it was against the rules for her teammates to help her.  The umpire stepped in and said that her team could send in a pinch runner, but the hit would only count as a single.

    In order for the hit to count as a home run, Sara herself would need to touch all of the bases.  Sara was devastated.

    It was then that Mallory Holtman, first baseman for Central Washington University, stepped up to the plate - so to speak.  Mallory asked if there were any rules that would prohibit her, a member of the opposing team, from helping Sara.  When the umpire said no, Mallory and her teammate, Liz Wallace, carefully picked up Sara Tucholsky and carried her from base to base, pausing just long enough for Sara to reach down with her uninjured leg and touch each of them. 

     The three-run homer counted and as a result, Mallory and Liz's team not only lost the game, but lost any chance of winning the conference and going on to the play-offs.  Mallory (Read more...)

Navigating Your Mid-Life Crisis

     To many of us mid-life sounds like a dirty word - well, a dirty hyphenated word to be accurate.  You can't even think "mid-life" without the word crisis following it, can you?  It's kind of automatic that these words flow together in our brains.  But think of a mid-life crisis and what picture comes to mind?  A speeding red convertible...one hand on the wheel, the other holding down the comb-over...salacious wink at the red light?

   I think most of us see a similar image in our minds eye.  But men aren't the only ones suffering from this mid-life manifestation.  Women also begin to question themselves mid-stream.  We wonder how we got where we are and why we're not quite happy here.  We have our doubts and regrets and a desire to get more out of life before it's over; we just don't wave a giant banner over our heads like some people.  Nothing says crisis like a fake tan and a new toupee.

     So what is it like for women?  In some ways, I believe it can be a rougher road than it is for men.  Men are brought up to go for what they want in this life.  Yes, they often take on the duties of husband and father and sacrifice some of their needs to these obligations, but it is different for women from the start.

    Women tend to value relationships highly, and in our culture, grow up learning to put others needs ahead of their own long before the husband and children come along.  While no one story fits all, many women lose themselves somewhere in girlhood.  We live a life full of shoulds and oughts and let ourselves be molded and driven by the needs and desires of others.  The result?  An adult life characterized by a weak sense of self and dedication to satisfying needs that are often not our own. 

     When a woman has a mid-life crisis she may recognize what she doesn't like about her current situation, but when asked what she does want out of life, she may have a hell of a time coming up with an answer.  It has often been so long since she even thought about what she wanted from life, that she no longer knows. 

      For men, mid-life crisis may mean wishing for the independence and care-free bachelor lifestyle they once enjoyed.  For women though, it may be wishing for a life they have never known.  A red convertible or a fling with the secretary won't suffice; there are no quick fixes here. (See my prior post on Racing Towards Mid-Life).  Women need to first rediscover who they are and what they want before they ever try to go and get it. 

     Not everyone is the same, of course.  For some, mid-life is a barely noticeable bump in the road.  For others, it is truly a crisis.  For most, it is somewhere in between - something better labeled as a challenge.  And as many versions as there are of the mid-life experience, there are that many ways of dealing with it.  For those of you who are having trouble, here are some of my ideas for navigating the choppy waters of mid-life: 

Step 1:  Acceptance and Commitment

   Once you realize that you have a problem with your life as it is, you need to commit to doing something about it.  As much as we wish it would, whining and complaining won't change things.  Committing to change is the first and most critical step, but often not the easiest.  Unless you are single, childless and without any family ties or obligations, changing your life will have an impact on those you hold near and dear.  It's unavoidable and, let me warn you that at first, nobody is going to like it.

    To find your own path to happiness, you have to make some time to focus on yourself.  That doesn't mean that you tell everyone you love to take a hike while you move off to "all-about-me" world.  Relationships and obligations are important but, if we want to really improve the quality of our own lives, we need to become more discerning. We need to determine which obligations and relationships are truly important to us and to let go of the rest.  Be prepared for lots of pouting and be ready to stand firm. 

Step 2:  Getting Back to Nature

     This might imply spending time in nature and, although that is not really what I am referring to here, I do believe that spending time in nature can help us to relax and to think more clearly and creatively  (For more on this, see my prior post on Why Getting Back to Nature May Prove to be the Best Therapy ).  For our purposes here though, what I am referring to is getting back in touch with your inner nature. 

     Your inner nature is who you really are minus all of the roles and identities that you have assumed over your lifetime.  Reacquainting yourself with your inner nature means taking some time to think about what your real values are and where your natural talents and abilities lie.  Sometimes it helps to think back to early girlhood and recall what you spent your time doing...what you lost track of time doing.  Clarifying what you value, what you enjoy and what your strengths are is a prerequisite to clarifying what it is that you want to do from here on in.  Goals that don't utilize your strengths or that are inconsistent with your values will only frustrate you.

Step 3:  Remove Obstacles

     You know what you want but now you need to figure out what's stopping you.  External circumstances like a lack of funds or too many obligations may be getting in your way.  Thinking out of the box is required to find ways over or around the things that are blocking your path.  Women often assume the role of helper but too often we feel uncomfortable with the idea of asking for help.  Try it, you might be surprised at how willing people are to give you a hand.

     Internal obstacles also prevent us from doing what we want.  Is a fear of failure stopping you?  Are you a perfectionist?  Is negative, pessimistic thinking standing in your way?  These internal hurdles can often be the toughest to navigate.  Authentic Happiness by Martin Seligman and other books may be helpful for changing your thought patterns and adopting a more optimistic approach to life.  You might also want to read this post: The Pursuit of Happiness.  Need more help?  Searching out a life coach or a cognitive-behavioral therapist may be a good idea.

Step 4:  Clear the Clutter

     You can't add anything new into your life without getting rid of some stuff to make room.  Figure out what obligations you can let go of.  If you can, pay people to do time-consuming chores to free up your time.  Or, delegate some jobs to children or barter with friends and family.  Learning to say "no" to things that aren't that important can help you to find time for the things that are.  This takes assertiveness and can be excruciatingly difficult for some women.  For additional help see my prior post on Becoming More Assertive and look at my reading recommendations.  Most of us have a full plate - we can't possibly add in time for ourselves unless we get rid of something else first.  It can be done.

Step 5:  Make (and follow) a Plan

     Now that you know what you want, you've made room for adding new things into your life and you've removed many of the obstacles...you need to start working towards your goals.  You can't just sit there and expect that it will all come to you.  But don't worry, this is the fun part.  If you've done steps 1-4, the hardest part is behind you. 

     Set your goals and break them down into smaller tasks that will lead you forward.  Don't be overwhelmed.  It's true that every journey begins with a single step.  Take that first step and then take another.  See how it goes, make adjustments as needed and believe in yourself.  Most importantly, remember that we spend most of our lives on the journey, not at our destinations.  Make sure you take time to enjoy the trip!

     This article has been featured at the Carnival of Improving Life.  Visit the carnival to find more personal growth and development articles as well as financial advice, health articles and more!

Racing Towards Midlife - Dangerous Curves Ahead

     Mid-life comes with it's challenges.  Standing face-to-face with our own mortality leads some of us to panic.  You know, the kind of panic that puts men in red convertibles, racing down the highways, comb-overs flapping in the breeze?

     Sorry for putting that image into your minds, but I had to do it.  It's my way of trying to scare you straight. 

    I know as well as anyone that mid-life can be a scary time, but please ladies, let's try to keep our dignity intact.  Let's not fall prey to the scatter-brained, desperate attempts at clinging to our youth that our menfolk do. 

     The male mid-life crisis has long had an affair with sports cars, usually convertibles, often brightly colored.  Cars that scream, "Look at me...while I've still got it."  Women at midlife often suffer from the same fears of mortality, feelings of despair over goals not met, regrets for mountains not climbed but we have, at least until now, handled our crises with poise and grace.  We re-evaluate and redesign our lives at best...at worst, we might go in for a little nip or tuck.  Either way, we deal with our crises discreetly, (Read more...)

Come On Get Happy - The Taoist Approach to Life

     It's no strange coincidence that so many of us are looking for happiness.  The more we have separated ourselves from nature and from each other, the more miserable we have become.

     We are struggling to find happiness, as if it is out there somewhere hiding from us.  But it's right where it has always been...we've just lost sight of it.

     Happiness is something within us, something that we create for ourselves...it is a way of being in the world...a way of living in harmony with nature (both our inner nature and the nature that surrounds and sustains us).  How do we find our way back?

     We can find our way back to happiness by looking backward in time and following the ancient wisdom of a people who truly understand how to live happily.  As I have begun to explore the basic principles of Taoism, I have been surprised by both their (Read more...)

Why Getting Back to Nature May Prove to be the Best Therapy

      Despite the technological and medical advancements of recent history, modern life is fraught with difficulties.  It seems that the more we attempt to simplify life, the more complicated it becomes.  Our preoccupation with more, bigger, and faster is taking us further and further away from the natural rhythms that once governed human life.

     Stress, obesity and mental illnesses seem to be on the rise not just among adults, but among our children as well.  A CDC study of US children found that 2 out of 10 children are obese and that there is a direct link between the number of hours spent in front of the t.v. or computer and the amount of body fat.

     Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) has become so common that every child has at least a few classmates that suffer from it.  A whopping 90% of children diagnosed with the disorder are prescribed drugs - drugs that interfere with sleep, often cause depression and can retard physical growth by as much as 1/2" per year.  (For more on medicating children with mental disorders see my earlier post: Psychiatric Disorders in Children)

     There was a time when we rose with the sun, spent our days living and working in the natural world and rested when night fell.  In an extremely short period of time (when you consider the entire history of man) we have completely changed our way of living from  (Read more...)

Journey into the Brain - A New Take on Nirvana?

Eastern spirituality seems to be the West's largest and perhaps most important import these days.  It seems that our hard-driven, overly-ambitious ways have caught up with us and we suspect there must be a better way. 

     We have turned, in large numbers, to the techniques and practices of ancient Eastern religions in record numbers - Buddhist temples now dot the American landscape and yoga classes and meditation centers have found their way to even the most backward of regions.  We are all desperately seeking nirvana.

     But what is it that we really expect to find and how are we going to find it?  Is nirvana out there somewhere or is it within?  Do we even know what we're looking for and will we recognize it when we find it?

    So many of us are looking outward to find the things or activities that will make us happy.  What I am beginning to realize through my own experience however, is that until I am able to find some inner peace, (Read more...)